A 14-1 December puts the Trail Blazers on a 70-win pace heading into the new year. In a month highlighted by a statement win over the Denver Nuggets, Portland has been nearly unstoppable, with only the pesky Kings handing them an L. Western Conference Player of the Month and MVP front-runner Damian Lillard has led the way with his efficient scoring and playmaking for the league's #1 offense. C.J. McCollum has broken out of his shooting slump in a big way, and looks to be a lock for his first ever all-star berth.

It's unlikely that the Blazers become the third team to reach the lofty 70 win mark. However, they are clearly the best team in basketball right now, and if everyone stays healthy, the road to the championship runs through Rip City.

HEADLINES

LeBron Breaks Ankle, Out 6-8 WeeksCavs are 22-10, but with his first major injury, is this the start of LeDecline?

An Even Harder Path? KD, Clips Continue To StruggleLack of depth a major issue as Blake, DeAndre have both missed time

MVP Race: 1. D Lillard, 2. L James 3. K Leonard 4. A Drummond 5. J HardenInjury will all but eliminate King James from consideration

Damian Lillard: 26.7 PPG, 8.3 APG, 3.6 RPG, 2.0 SPG | 25.3 PER, .644% TSThe MVP favorite, Damian Lillard leads all qualifying players in scoring (Curry missed some games), and is third in assists. More importantly, he is the best player on the league's best team - a leader on and off the court. Lillard dropped 51 points on the Kansas City Knights, then led his team to a 51 point win over the same team a few days later.

C.J. McCollum: 22.3 PPG, 5.9 APG, 3.2 RPG | 20.0 PER, .583% TSAfter a shaky start to the season, 3J has been lights out in December, topping 40 points not once, but twice. Terry Stotts staggers the minutes of Lillard and McCollum, giving the Blazers at least one potent scorer on the floor at all times.

Al-Farouq Aminu: 8.1 PPG, 6.0 RPG | 8.7 PER, .480% TSAminu's jump shot has disappeared, but he maintains his starting role thanks to his versatility and elite defense. The prototypical "glue guy", Portland will hope to keep him around for a while.

Harry Giles: 13.5 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 1.8 BPG | 17.5 PER, .518% TSPortland is much improved on defense, and Giles is a huge reason why. Complementing Gobert in the front court, Giles has had some sick blocks, and has been instrumental in rim protection. He's also become a reliable third scoring option, though shot selection needs some work. Great rookie year so far. Future all-star?

Rudy Gobert: 8.9 PPG, 12.1 RPG, 2.1 BPG | 17.6 PER, .545% TSPortland went from bottom 5 to top 10 in defensive efficiency this year, and Gobert is the main reason why. He doesn't steal the headlines, averaging just under nine points per game. However, the Stifle Tower has been a game-changer on D.

Zach Randolph: 9.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 15 GP | 16.4 PER, .520% TSZ-Bo was starting to play pretty well off the bench, before the calf injury sidelined him. He's expected to return very soon, and will hope to give Portland a boost in the paint.

Jonathan Simmons: 5.0 PPG, 2.2 RPG | 11.1 PER, .584% TSSimmons doesn't get a ton of playing time, but he's been a great 3-and-D guy off the bench. Some think he should start over Aminu, but when you're 27-4, you really aren't in the lineup change business.

JaVale McGee: 3.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG | 12.4 PER, .459% TSShaq may not approve, but Epic Vale has been solid, replacing Festus Ezeli as the back-up Center. He doesn't do much on offense, but his length and athleticism makes him a force on the boards, and on defense.

Noah Vonleh: 3.8 PPG, 3.4 RPG | 9.4 PER, .494% TSNoah's demand of $11 million per year or bust may seem silly until you realize that's what Meyers Leonard got… With Randolph returning to the fold, its unlikely Vonleh will command that kind of money. But even when given the opportunities, Noah has been relatively ineffective. After four years, maybe he's not the next Bosh…

2018 MOCK DRAFT

*The 2018 draft class consists of 90% real prospects, 10% fictional. This is to prevent any 2017 draftees from appearing in the 2018 class. Some of the prospects (such as the projected #1 pick) are ones I just made up, while others are homages to past association/dynasty story legends!

Portland continues to roll, having won 11 straight games going into their match against the Timberwolves. These wins include blowing out the resurgent Celtics on their floor, exorcising their demons with a win over the Kings, and continuing to assert their dominance over the Sonics. The talks of Portland challenging Golden State's 73 win mark are getting louder, and for good reason as the Blazers are on pace to match it. That should continue as they're at home against a mediocre Wolves team... right?

The Minnesota Timberwolves have been a team with a lot of promise these past few years, but have yet to really get over that hump. This season has been no exception. They are a .500 team, and while Karl-Anthony Towns is a legit star, Andrew Wiggins has not improved since his rookie season, and nobody else has stepped up.

However, on this night, Kris Dunn looked like that second star the Wolves need. Scoring a career high 42 points, including a four-point play in the final minute, Dunn led the Wolves past a Blazers team on pace to eclipse the 70 win mark… in their building.

Battling a twisted ankle, C.J. McCollum carried the slack for Portland as Damian Lillard struggled with his shot. McCollum scored 29 points, including a pair of three pointers late to keep Portland in it. However, turnovers and a lackadaisical defensive effort did them in on this night. A high scoring, back-and-forth affair such as this usually goes the Blazers' way, but it was simply Kris Dunn's night.

Portland falls to 32-5, which is still by far the league's best record, while the Wolves get back to .500, now sitting at 19-19.

Man, I literally cursed out loud when Lillard fouled Dunn on that made 3. It was embarrassing. It's always these mediocre teams that I struggle with. Maybe its because I feel more pressure to win. Not sure what it is, but I know I'm relieved to see Sacramento is slipping in the standings.

Portland bounced back from their loss to Minnesota by opening up a four-game winning streak. After blowing out Anthony Davis and the disappointing Pelicans, they beat Memphis in OT, obliterated the Wall-less Wizards and easily defeated Lonzo Ball and the Mavericks. The wins put them at a 72 win pace at the midway point. Not too shabby.

Blazers on pace for 72 wins, midway through the seasonThey would tie the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls for second best regular season record in league history.

Zach Randolph reportedly frustrated with roleVeteran power forward Zach Randolph is on the league's best team, averaging 10 and 6 in 20 minutes per game off the bench. Unfortunately, playing behind rookie Harry Giles does not sit well with him, and he wants to start. Will this be a problem, or does winning make everything okay?

Wizards trade Tyreke Evans, Richaun Holmes to Thunder for Enes Kanter, Ronnie PriceOKC gets a stand-in for the injured Westbrook as well as an OK backup big. The tanking Wizards add Kanter, who, despite his deficiencies, is a good, relatively young big.

Knights trade Rudy Gay, Boris Diaw to Magic for Nikola Vucevic, Luis MonteroAfter an abysmal start to the season, the Knights are abandoning the Rudy Gay experiment. Knights get a pretty good Center, while the Magic get an athletic scorer. Can they make the playoffs with Biyombo starting at the 5? We'll see.

Jazz trade Rajon Rondo to Pacers for Al JeffersonWhy did the Jazz sign Rondo in the first place? Was Exum's shooting not bad enough? Anyway, Indy is one of the few places where Rondo is actually an upgrade at PG, while Jefferson returns to Utah with his role being that he's an expiring contract. Win-win.

W @ LAC 113-93 - RECORD: 39-5KD held to 6 points as Blazers dominate marquee match-up. Lillard leads the way with 38 points, 10 assists, 5 steals and 5 boards on 14-22 shooting. The Clippers' 11 game win streak is over Portland has now won 7 in a row.

L @ UTA 119-112 - RECORD: 39-6Damian Lillard's 39 points were not enough, as the Blazers could not beat the Jazz in the second game of a back-to-back. Former Jazz player Rudy Gobert had 8 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.

Portland had another fantastic month, going 12-2 and strengthening their hold on the #1 seed. Damian Lillard has continued to be sensational, while McCollum has continued his case for an all-star berth. Playing elite defense while remaining the league's top offensive team has made the Blazers nearly impossible to beat. The team is firing on all cylinders, and should be the odds-on favorite to win the title, or at least the Western Conference, should they stay healthy.

Perhaps the biggest win of the year so far was a blowout victory in Los Angeles over Kevin Durant and the streaking Clippers. The Blazers open February against them again, but this time in Rip City.

At the midway point of the season, let's take a look at the NBA award races. Right now, it looks like the MVP will go to Damian Lillard, with Portland's historically good season and an injury to LeBron James. Far more interesting is the rookie of the year race, in which several players are putting up borderline all-star stats.

Sixth Man Race: 1. Dario Saric 2. Marcus Smart 3. Ricky Rubio 4. Kyle Anderson 5. Jakob PoeltlThe Sixers' decision to start both Okafor and Embiid may not be helping them win games, but it looks like it will win The Homie the sixth man award, given his averages of just under 14 and 9.

Most Improved So Far: 1. D'Angelo Russell 2. Cameron Payne 3. Kris Dunn 4. Mason Plumlee 5. Denzel ValentineIn the eyes of many, D-Lo was robbed of this award last year. Well, he won't be robbed this year (probably), as he has taken his game to yet another level.

Four more wins for the Blazers, including a blowout victory in Denver, and the second win in as many weeks over KD and the Clippers. Unfortunately, Rudy Gobert suffered a broken nose against the Pacers. However, he's not soft so he's gonna play through it.

The reserves for the 2018 all-stars have been revealed, with a couple surprises. Making their first all-star appearances are Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell, who is averaging 25 points per game, as well as Hornets rookie Dennis Smith. Smith is the first rookie since Blake Griffin in 2011 to make the team. Damian Lillard, James Harden and Paul George unsurprisingly make the team, but there were a couple controversial snubs.

C.J. McCollum is having a great season for the Blazers, yet he was snubbed despite Portland being off to a historically good start to the season. Furthermore, Karl-Anthony Towns, Isaiah Thomas and DeMar DeRozan were also surprisingly left off. Meanwhile, Blake Griffin is one of three Clippers to make the game, despite a slightly disappointing record and pedestrian averages of 17 points and 8 rebounds per game. The all-star reserves are as follows:

Not an all-star huh? C.J. McCollum scored a franchise record 55 points in a win over the Utah Jazz. Portland suffered a rare loss a couple days later in the crescent city before getting back on track with a pair of wins.

Suns point guard Eric Bledsoe will be making his first ever all-star appearance, with Chris Paul withdrawing from the game due to an ankle injury. Bledsoe is averaging 19 points, 8 assists and 4 rebounds per game for the Suns, who currently sit in eighth place in the West.

This selection by Adam Silver is controversial, with many claiming it should have been Wolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns or Blazers guard C.J. McCollum earning the spot.

Blazers Rally Back From Down 24, But Fall Short In San AntonioSan Antonio 104, Portland 98

Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers were shitting the bed on national TV - trailing 40-16 in the second quarter. A third quarter rally, and foul trouble helped them get back in the game, but they could not overcome Lillard's dismal 9-27 shooting night, or C.J. McCollum's 9 turnovers as they fell short down the stretch.

Despite two first quarter fouls for Kawhi Leonard, the Spurs were dominant from the start. LaMarcus Aldridge was beasting on his former team, hitting jump shots and getting to the line at will. Portland's offense was out of whack in the early going, with Lillard missing shots he normally makes and the big men missing layups. The deficit got as large as 24 points, before a pair of McCollum threes sparked a small run to cut the deficit to 14 at half.

That momentum continued for Portland in the third, as they continued to trim the Spurs' lead. With five minutes left in the fourth, the Spurs led by just a point, 90-89. However, consecutive three point plays by the Spurs and missed shots by Lillard saw the Spurs go back up by 7, and the Blazers were unable to pull off the comeback.

The Spurs improve to 32-23, winning their fourth straight game and pulling within three games of the division leading Rockets. Portland meanwhile falls to 46-8, still a great record, but putting that 70 win mark in jeopardy.

In what was the wildest Rising Stars game to date, Philadelphia's De'Aaron Fox won the game for the Elites with a three-quarters court heave.

It was a back-and-forth affair all night. In the first half, both teams were playing defense, but the second half became a shootout. Trail Blazers big man Harry Giles had a big night, leading all scorers with 21 points, and also blocking six shots. However, it was the wild last forty seconds of the game that has everyone buzzing.

With the game tied at 111, Brandon Ingram drilled a go-ahead three pointer to give the Stars the lead. Not to be outdone, Hornets all-star rookie Dennis Smith answered with a three of his own. Kris Dunn let the clock wind down before running the pick-and-roll with Giles to perfection, leading to an epic dunk over Dario Saric.

With three seconds remaining, the Stars had no choice but to put up a Hail Mary heave to try to win the game. And the rest is history.

Dario Saric won MVP of the game with 20 points, 9 rebounds (6 offensive) and 5 steals, but Fox won the headlines.

Damian Lillard admitted to being nervous after watching Klay Thompson go 5-for-5 on his money ball rack to score a record (?) 29 points in the opening round of the three-point shootout. However, after a 25 point outing that was nothing to scoff at, and redemption for his abysmal performance a year ago, he was ready to bring it home in the final round.

Lillard only scored 21 to open the final round, and the two guys who won this contest the last three years were up after him. However, Curry faltered on his money ball rack to score just 19, while Thompson went ice cold after a strong start to finish with just 17.

And so Damian Lillard, 2013 rookie of the year, four time all-star, the favorite for MVP this season, can add "Three Point Shootout Champion" to his impressive resume.

In a low-key dunk contest, suns big man Marquese Chriss has repeated as dunk contest champion. His best dunk saw him lob it to himself and throw down a 360 statue of liberty jam.

Rookie Miles Bridges was consistently solid, while Hollis-Jefferson and Mudiay were underwhelming before performing well on their final dunks.

As is often the case, social media was critical of the dunk contest, with some calling for a format change and others the eradication of the event altogether. Nonetheless, it is a big win for Chriss, who averages just 3.7 points per game, but now has two dunk contest trophies.

In an all-star game usually dominated by wings, Draymond Green dominated on both ends of the floor en route to a big win for the Western Conference. The Warriors big man stuffed the stat sheet with 25 points, 9 boards, 7 assists and 6 steals, while also managing not to kick anybody!

This game was close in the first half, with Kyrie Irving on fire from downtown. However, Green was a pest, notching four of his six steals in the first half, which the West led 71-67 after. The third quarter saw the West pull away, with Curry, Lillard and Durant all having some success from beyond the arc. Brook Lopez did what he could to keep the East in it, but there was a sense of apathy on both sides.

There would be no dramatic ending like in the Rising Stars game. The West won this game comfortably by a score of 151-137. "We held them under 140 points. For an all-star game, that's pretty good", commented Terry Stotts after the game.

This is the West's fourth straight all-star game win. However, the East still leads the all-time series, 37-30.

With a 9-2 February, Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers continue to steamroll the league. Despite the disappointing news that C.J. McCollum was somehow snubbed from the all-star team, Rip City was all smiles in February. Not only is the team on the verge of clinching a playoff spot, but they are also just a few wins from clinching home court advantage throughout the playoffs. The quest for 70 wins is still alive, but would require a 22-4 finish.

"The biggest priority is winning a championship. Obviously you want to win every game we play, but we won't be sacrificing player health to hit an arbitrary win total", commented Terry Stotts when asked about chasing 70 wins.

Stotts and Lillard are overwhelming favorites to win the coach of the year and most valuable player awards, respectively, and can lock them up with a successful March.

Here's a big recap to cover all the games in March. I'm playing the playoffs now, so want to rush through the rest of the regular season. No big loss, considering I basically clinched the #1 seed in January... Anyway, here are the games played in March, with a recap to come.

The Trail Blazers opened up the month on a roll, starting with a big win in Seattle where Lillard dropped 41, and Giles 31 and 12. They proceeded to take down the slumping Suns to hit 50 wins, then blew out a trip of Eastern Conference teams.

Trailing by ten with less than four minutes to go in the fourth, it looked like the Blazers were going to suffer a rare home defeat at the hands of the Lakers. However, the chants of "beat L.A." never wavered, and for good reason. It was Lillard Time.

After shooting poorly all game, Damian Lillard caught fire, scoring 13 of his 28 points in crunch time. However, it was C.J. McCollum who was the hero of the game. Down 4 with forty seconds to go, Lillard stole an inbounds pass, but was forced to call their final timeout as he was heading out of bounds. Out of the timeout, Jonathan Simmons hit a three to trim the deficit to 1. Brandon Ingram wisely dribbled the clock down, but was forced by Al-Farouq Aminu into a bad three point shot attempt. Rudy Gobert grabbed the rebound, and with no timeouts left, threw it to C.J. McCollum, who calmly ran down the court and drilled a three point shot as the buzzer sounded.

The Rose Garden erupted with cheers. Despite a huge game from Ingram (33 points, 9 assists, 8 rebounds), the Lakers were vanquished with an impressive run to end the game.

With the win, Portland's eighth straight, they improve to 54-8, clinching a better record than last season with 20 games still to play. The Lakers, meanwhile, take a hit in their bid for the 8 seed, falling to 29-33, a game and a half behind the Grizzlies.

Make it ten wins in a row for the Portland Trail Blazers, who dominated the hapless Nets before overcoming a furious comeback from Goran Dragic and the resurgent Miami Heat.

W @ BKN 109-95 - RECORD: 55-8W Vs. MIA 118-110 (OT) - RECORD: 56-8

The Hurt Lockers

With the playoffs just a month away, several teams are seeing key players go down at just the wrong time. Star players Russell Westbrook, Nikola Jokic and Ben Simmons are still sidelined, while other key players have gone down. KD and Marc Gasol are expected back before the start of the playoffs, but the availability of others is less clear.

On ESPN: Warriors (40-26) @ Trail Blazers (56-8)The Trail Blazers won the first two match-ups with the Warriors convincingly, but with the Dubs finally hitting their stride and Curry gaining on Lillard in the MVP race, this should be a good one.

Those who bet on Damian Lillard winning the MVP award might be starting to sweat just a little. In a primetime match-up, Steph Curry thoroughly outplayed Lillard, ultimately carrying his team to the win.

The first half was closely contested. Curry and Draymond carried the load for the Warriors, while Wayne Ellington played solid defense in place of the injured Klay Thompson. Dominance on the boards kept the Blazers in it with Lillard struggling with his shot somewhat. In the third, Golden State pulled away, going up by as many as thirteen. Stotts subbed out Lillard, moving McCollum to the point and also bringing in the veteran Zach Randolph for Harry Giles. This worked wonders, as Portland closed the gap to 2 entering the fourth.

The Blazers continued to have all the momentum, eventually taking an eight point lead. However, that was when Steph took over. Hitting 7 of his 10 three pointers in the final period, the Blazers had no answer for him, while their offense began to sputter on the other end. McCollum kept Portland in it with his hot shooting, and with a minute left, it was tied. Curry sank a pair of free throws to put his team up 2, but C.J. answered with a three to take the lead. Doug McDermott blew a layup on the other end, and the Blazers found themselves with the ball and 30 seconds to go.

Damian Lillard let the clock run down, before passing to Evan Turner who put up a bad shot. The Warriors called timeout, and Portland doubled Curry. As a result, McDermott was able to redeem himself, sinking what would be a game-winning layup with 5 seconds left. With one last chance, McCollum had his layup attempt blocked as Curry went to the line for two more points to pad his stats.

The win is Golden State's eighth straight and moves the Warriors to 3.5 games behind the Clippers for the 2 seed and division title. It also means that Portland can do no better than tie their NBA record 73 regular season wins.

The Blazers have home court advantage through the playoffs all but locked up, but it does hurt Lillard's MVP chances. Steph Curry has missed a handful of games, but is otherwise having arguably the best statistical season in NBA history.

A loss to the Grizzlies in Memphis closes the door for the Blazers tying the Warriors' 73-9 season. However, 70+ wins is still in play, as the team rattled off four wins in a row, including blowout wins over the defending champion Cavaliers, and the Nikola Jokic-less Denver Nuggets.

Portland secured home court advantage midway through March, but they haven't taken their foot off the gas pedal. Whether to stay sharp heading into the playoffs, pursue the elusive 70 win mark or clinch the MVP trophy for Lillard, Terry Stotts continues to play his starters regular minutes down the stretch. Other than a surprising televised home loss to a Klay Thompson-less Warriors team, it was another blemish-free month for the clear title favorites.

It seems the only thing that can get in the way of the Trail Blazers' title hopes is health. Unfortunately, that's what people were saying when the Blazers had a big three of Brandon Roy, Greg Oden and LaMarcus Aldridge…

Having home court advantage clinched through the playoffs, Terry Stotts made the controversial decision to play his starters regular minutes up until the penultimate game of the season. The team didn't get rusty and nobody got hurt, but it seemed clear to many that the team was trying to reach the 70 win mark, and get Damian Lillard the MVP award.

They were successful, losing only two games in April: one in OT to the red-hot Knicks, and the other resting the starters in the season finale vs. Washington. Becoming just the third team in NBA history to hit 70 wins, the Blazers will hope to cap off this magical season with a championship!

Toronto won the Atlantic Division, and as the division winner with the second most wins, that should entitle them to a #2 seed. However, the Chicago Bulls, who had the second best record in the conference, but who did not win their division, are the #2 seed instead. More bafflingly, the 42-40 Miami Heat, who also won their division, are the #3 seed, above the 47-35 Raps. Adam Silver declined to comment on this.

The second annual NBA awards show was held tonight, this time hosted by the incomparable Justin Bieber... This award show went completely smoothly, with no miscues or controversies... SO much better than having the players just accept their awards in front of their home crowds. Anyway, here's how the live coverage went...

Rookie of the Year

The prestigious rookie of the year award has gone to such NBA legends as Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Michael Carter-Williams. This year's candidates are Markelle Fultz of the Bucks, Harry Giles of the Trail Blazers, Josh Jackson of the Heat, Dennis Smith of the Hornets, and Jayson Tatum of the Celtics.

And the award goes to...

Dennis Smith of the Charlotte Hornets! Many thought Fultz would win it after Smith missed a month with an injury. However, Smith was the first rookie in seven years to make the all-star team, and was instrumental in the Hornets' return to the post-season.

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Sixth Man of the Year

The sixth man of the year award... given to the best player who comes off the bench... Or rather, the player who scores the most points as a reserve... This year's nominees are: Allen Crabbe of the Jazz, Ricky Rubio of the TImberwolves, Dario Saric of the 76ers, Marcus Smart of the Celtics and Evan Turner of the Trail Blazers.

And the award goes to:

Dario Saric! Critics will say he's an inefficient scorer and doesn't play much defense. However, he's in a league of his own in terms of raw stats compared to other players who come off the bench.

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Defensive Player of the Year

They say defense wins championships. If that's true, this award should go to LeBron, because "rings, Erneh". Anyway, this year's nominees are Tony Allen of the Spurs, Andre Drummond of the Pistons, Draymond Green of the Warriors, DeAndre Jordan of the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard of the Spurs.

And the award goes to:

Andre Drummond! Despite the Pistons' last-season implosion, Drummond wins this award after a phenomenal individual year. He was a force on the boards, and an intimidating force at the rim.

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Most Improved Player

Many people think this award is stupid. Do you give it to one of the league's rising stars? To a player who goes from scrub to serviceable? From good to great? Should second year players be disqualified? For that reason, this can be a tough one to predict sometimes... This year's nominees are Kris Dunn of the Timberwolves, Cameron Payne of the Thunder, Norman Powell of the Knights, D'Angelo Russell of the Lakers and Denzel Valentine of the Bulls.

And the award goes to:

Cameron Payne! For the second straight year, D'Angelo Russell finishes second in most improved player voting, being snubbed unexpectedly. Payne received a lot more minutes in the wake of Westbrook's injury. However, the Thunder were one of the worst teams in the league, and Payne proved to be a below average starting point guard. Not sure about this one...

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Coach of the Year

This award doesn't go to the best coach, or else Popovich would win it every year. Pop still wins it frequently, but often it goes to the coach whose team outperforms expectations the most. This year's nominees are Steve Kerr of the Warriors, Mike D'Antoni of the Rockets, Mike Malone of the Nuggets, Brad Stevens of the Celtics and Terry Stotts of the Blazers.

And the award goes to...

No surprise there. Stotts coach the Blazers to 70 wins. 70! We knew they would be good, but not third best record ever good... Portland might have a chance to pick up another award here in a moment...

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Most Valuable Player

The most anticipated award of the night, MVP! As always, this is the most hotly debated award. It seems to be a two-man race between Curry and Lillard, with Lillard holding the edge. However, we do need to nominate five people for this, so here they are: Jimmy Butler of the Bulls, Stephen Curry of the Warriors,James Harden of the Rockets, Damian Lillard of the Blazers and Chris Paul of the Clippers.

Stephen Curry! In a huge upset, Curry wins his third MVP award. Despite missing a dozen games, and his Warriors winning just 47 games, Curry put up historic numbers for a Warriors team depleted in the off-season. Wait. What's this? They had the wrong envelope? Curry didn't win? Oh god, not again...

That's more like it. Unfortunately, due to the confusion with the wrong winner being named, we are out of time, so he will accept the award before game 1 against Memphis on Sunday night. Congratulations Damian!

Memphis was one of two teams (Sacramento the other) to win their season series against Portland. However, few are picking this 43 win Grizzlies team over this historically good Blazers squad.

Portland is coming off a 70-win season, has the league MVP in Damian Lillard, coach of the year in Terry Stotts, a deep bench, and borderline all-stars C.J. McCollum and Rudy Gobert. Other than Evan Turner, who is questionable for game 1 with a sore back, the Blazers are completely healthy.

Memphis won two of the three regular season match-ups against the Blazers, including a blowout win at the Rose Garden early on. Portland won the second game handily, and the third was arguably a "schedule loss". Though Marc Gasol once again made the all-star team, and Chandler Parsons is finally healthy, the Grizzlies are a team in decline. Mike Conley's numbers have regressed, as he's had one of the worst seasons of his career. As their players age and the league trends away from their trademark style of play, the Grizzlies have become a perennial first round exit. They do deserve credit for making the playoffs for the eighth straight year despite losing mainstays Zach Randolph (to Portland) and Tony Allen.

To have a chance in this series, the Grizzlies will need to contain Portland's perimeter shooters, while getting big contributions from Gasol, Parsons and Conley. For Portland, the key is to not get injured...

4 Denver [49-33] vs. 5 Golden State [47-35]Key Injuries: Nikola Jokic (DEN) - out 4-6 weeksDespite having a better record and seed, nobody is picking the Denver Nuggets in their series against Golden State. It makes sense, given their best player in Jokic is hurt, but with Dwight and Faried holding down the fort, Denver didn't falter like some expected. Still, it's hard to bet against Steph, Klay and Draymond.

3 Houston [51-31] vs. 6 Minnesota [44-38]Key Injuries: Andrew Wiggins (MIN) - out 1-2 weeksEven if Wiggins were healthy, the Wolves would be major underdogs in this series against Harden and the Rockets. Expect big numbers for Towns in all four games.

2 L.A. Clippers [55-27] vs 7 San Antonio [44-38]Key Injuries: noneIn a rematch of their epic 2015 series, the Clippers take on San Antonio once again. However, this time the Spurs have Aldridge and Pau Gasol, but no Duncan and Ginobili. The Clippers on the other hand have a guy you may have heard of by the name of cup- Kevin Durant. You can never count out the Spurs in the playoffs, but the Clippers are expected to roll here.

1 Cleveland [50-32] vs. 8 Charlotte [42-40]Key Injuries: noneThe two-time defending champs are once again the 1 seed, and are healthy at just the right time. Charlotte managed to edge out the Pelicans and Pacers to get into the playoffs, but were unlucky to lose the tiebreaker to Miami for the 3 seed. Dennis Smith is back, Kemba is great and MKG can defend LeBron, but the Cavs should win this.

4 Toronto [47-35] vs. 5 Boston [45-37]Key Injuries: noneWhy is Toronto the 4th seed? It really doesn't make any sense. It was clearly a huge mistake to bring back the top 3 seed for division winners, and they couldn't even enact the rule properly. Anyway, this should be a good series. Toronto trots out the same team for the third year in a row, while a young Celtics team led by vets Thomas and Horford will fight for the honor of losing to Cleveland in the second round.

3 Miami [42-40] vs. 6 New York [44-38]Key Injuries: noneNew York went on a tear to get into the post-season, while Miami snuck into the 3 seed behind steady play and slumps by Charlotte and New Orleans. New York will have home court advantage, and have kept their "super team" together. Whiteside, Dragic and rookie sensation Josh Jackson will hope to knock them off.

2 Chicago [48-34] vs. 7 Milwaukee [43-39]Key Injuries: M. Carter Williams (MIL) - out for seasonShouldn't Chicago be the fourth seed? Whatever. This should be a good one. Under-the-radar superstar Jimmy Butler has led the Bulls to a very solid season, but will be challenged by Giannis, Fultz and the up-and-coming Bucks

Memphis was one of just two teams to win their season series against Portland. However, the Trail Blazers were clearly unfazed by that, as they rolled over the Grizzlies, holding them to just 34% shooting from the field en route to a game 1 win.

The game was kicked off with the MVP ceremony. It was supposed to happen at Friday's awards show, but was cut for time. Adam Silver handed Lillard the Maurice Podoloff trophy in front of the sold out Rose Garden crowd. But while he was the center of attention before the game, Harry Giles was the focal point in the first half. Setting the tone from the very first play of the game with a rim rattling dunk, the rookie big man was a force in the paint and on the boards.

Portland led 48-39 at the half despite a modest 6 points from Lillard thanks to the Grizzlies' stagnant offense on the other end. The Grizzlies threatened to make a run, cutting the deficit to 5 midway through the third period, but Stotts ran a lineup of McCollum with the second unit which turned the tide. With seldom used point guard Shabazz Napier running the point (Evan Turner sat out with a sore back, freeing up the minutes) and the Blazers employing a zone defense, Marc Gasol was neutralized and the Blazers went on a run. Napier hit a three with .8 seconds left in the period to give Portland a fifteen point lead going into the fourth.

Lillard Time had finally arrived in the fourth. Though Chandler Parsons was starting to get it going from beyond the arc, Lillard caught fire, scoring 14 of his 24 points in the final period to seal the deal and commence garbage time.

After game 1, David Fizdale said that the Grizzlies' defense was fine, but that the offense was horrendous. In this game, Memphis stayed up their game offensively. However, they let Damian Lillard and the Trail Blazers walk over them in a game far more lopsided than the score suggests.

Damian Lillard was engaged from the get-go, racking up five of his 11 assists in the first period, while hitting two treys to help give the Blazers an early lead. Memphis was able to stay competitive thanks to the efforts of starting power forward Michael Beasley, who was scoring at will in the paint and imposing his will on the boards. Up nine at the half, the Blazers closed the door in the third. C.J. McCollum had an abysmal 3/15 shooting night, but everybody else was feeling it. A barrage of three point makes stretched the lead to 20 points, and for the second straight game we were treated to the likes of garbage time all-stars Noah Vonleh and Pat Connaughton.

The game was well past over midway through the fourth, but Fizdale must not have gotten the memo. He kept his starters in until the final buzzer, cutting the deficit to a not-too-embarrassing 13 points before conceding the L. Beasley and Chandler Parsons had 23 apiece for the Grizzlies, who got very little production from all-star Marc Gasol and the declining Mike Conley (averaged just 11.8 points and 5.9 assists per game in the regular season).

Lillard was a beast with 29 points, 11 assists and 6 steals, while Evan Turner made his triumphant return after sitting out game 1 scoring an efficient 15. Though apparently still salty about coming off the bench, Zach Randolph dropped 14 on his former team.

Now holding a commanding 2-0 lead, the Blazers will held down to Memphis hoping to secure some rest going into the second round. With Golden State taking game 2 in Denver, the Warriors are likely to be Portland's next opponent, up 2-0 going home for a pair of games. However, this series is far from over.

Despite a 9/25 shooting night from Damian Lillard, the Portland Trail Blazers are a game away from sweeping the Grizzlies thanks to an incredible performance by Rudy Gobert. Grizzlies fan Justin Timberlake was in attendance, and got a taste of his own medicine as Rudy Gobert have him the "20-20 experience" with a 22 points, 21 rebound game.

Gobert had his fingerprints on this game from the very beginning, scoring on four of the Blazers' first five possessions. With Portland struggling from distance, inside scoring became the focal point of their offense. It looked like the Blazers might run away with this one, but the Grizzlies adjusted, and thanks to excellent play from Chandler Parsons and Marc Gasol, were able to take a four point lead into the half.

Utilizing some of that zone defense that shut down Memphis in game one, Portland was able to open up a double digit lead in the third quarter. While Lillard wasn't hitting his shots, he was finding his teammates. However, the Grizzlies came out swinging in the fourth quarter. Portland's offense screeched to a halt, while Parsons and Michael Gbinije (who??) were making it rain from deep.

Portland actually trailed 101-96 with three minutes remaining when Terry Stotts called timeout. Gobert made a lay-up, then blocked Marc Gasol on the other end to trigger a 13-2 run that would ultimately give the Blazers the W.

It was Gobert's time to shine, earning his first playoff post-game interview, but Harry Giles was no slouch himself with 17 points and 15 boards. Marc Gasol finally showed up after a dormant game 2, and Chandler Parsons has been excellent all series, but Mike Conley continues to let his team down.

Up three games to none, this game is all but over. Portland will hope to win game four without suffering any injuries, as they will likely be facing a tough Golden State Warriors team (who is also up 3-0 in their series).

To make the playoffs for an eighth straight season is an impressive feat - it's the second longest running streak in the league with Atlanta missing out. However, after being swept in the first round, suffering blowouts in three of the four defeats, it may be time for the Grizzlies to look at rebuilding. The point guard they invested over thirty million per year was a no-show all series, scoring just 2 points on 1-9 shooting, and despite a tremendous game from Marc Gasol, Portland rolled over the Grizzlies to end their season.

Marc Gasol was a dominant force from the opening tip, helping the Grizzlies get out to an early lead. This would be short lived, as the Blazers tightened up their defense and got it going from beyond the arc. Portland would open up a double digit lead in the second quarter, and always had an answer when Memphis would attempt to close that gap. Portland led by 14 at the half, and there was a distinct malaise in the sold-out crowd.

Michael Beasley, a bright spot for Memphis in this series, did what he could to help keep his team in it. Damian Lillard had another quiet game, but Evan Turner picked up the slack, doing a little bit of everything off the bench for Portland. He would finish with a team-high 20 points and the post-game interview.

Long story short, Memphis couldn't come back. Marc Gasol was a beast, but Parsons was bricking everything and Portland grabbed 15 offensive boards. The fourth quarter saw the Grizzlies try and fail to contain the legendary JaVale McGee-Shabazz Napier pick-and-roll, as the Trail Blazers cruised to a 102-84 win. When asked if this might the end of an era in Memphis, Marc Gasol replied, "I hope not".

Portland is the only team to sweep their opponent in the first round, and will be treated to a week of rest as they prepare for a likely series with Golden State (if not, the 3-0 memes… my god).

Three of the four second round match-ups are set. However, there are two very exciting game 7's on the docket this weekend. The Minnesota Timberwolves hope to become the first team in NBA history to come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series. In the same quadrant of the bracket is game 7 between the Clippers and Spurs. It's in Los Angeles, but the Spurs are no stranger to winning game 7's on the road. (Only example I can think of is against New Orleans in 2008, but there may be others)

Portland faces the Warriors in the playoffs for the third straight year... The last two times, the Warriors easily ousted them in five games. This year, the tables have turned, and the Trail Blazers are the favorites. Coming off a 70-win season (and first round sweep of Memphis) with a much improved roster, Portland is an absolute juggernaut right now. An elite team on both sides of the ball, they boast an amazing starting lineup, and a deep bench.

The Warriors looked unbeatable last season, but after KD went down in the Blazers' series, Golden State laid an egg in the finals against Cleveland. Durant shocked the world by leaving the Warriors after one season to play for the Clippers, and the Warriors also lost their depth with Andre Iguodala and Zaza Pachulia departing in free agency. They still have their big three of Steph, Klay and Draymond, but the role players that helped make them so good were replaced with the likes of Doug McDermott and Derrick Williams...

But the Warriors' star power might be enough. The Splash Brothers went nuclear against the Nuggets, while Green was a triple double machine. The Warriors were responsible for one of the Blazers' 12 losses - in Portland without Klay Thompson no less! However, it's hard to see them beating the Blazers four times out of seven...

2 L.A. Clippers [55-27] vs. 3 Houston [51-31]Key Injuries: noneLike in 2015, the Clippers defeated the Spurs in a tough seven game series and will face Houston in the second round. Can they finally break through and make it to the conference finals, or are they doomed to continue their underachieving ways? Can the D'Antoni coached defense stop the Clippers' big four? Will they even try?

1 Cleveland [50-32] vs. 4 Toronto [47-35]Key Injuries: Delon Wright (TOR) - out for seasonThe Cavs have staved off the pesky Hornets, and will face Toronto in round 2. This is the kind of series LeBron always wins. Can the Raptors, who have stood pat with their roster the last couple seasons, prove me wrong? Time will tell. Many Cavs fans are already focused on LeFinals, and for good reason.

2 Chicago [49-33] vs. 6 New York [44-38]Key Injuries: J.R. Smith - out for seasonLosing J.R. Smith to a torn ACL is a huge blow to a Knicks team having their best season in years. After beating the Heat in the first round (thanks in part to the weird playoff format this year), the super team will hope to upset the Bulls. Led by Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade, the Bulls have quietly been one of the better teams in the NBA this season. It has been a couple years since LeBron James eliminated them in the playoffs, and the Knicks stand in the way of that goal.

Harry Giles has had quite a rookie season. After some said he wouldn't be a first round pick due to his injury history and poor numbers at Duke, Giles has proven the doubters wrong. After starting every game and being the third leading scorer on a 70 win team, Giles has stepped up his play in the post-season, averaging a double-double and now leading Portland to a game 1 victory against the Warriors.

In front of a sold-out Rose Garden, the Blazers jumped out to an 11-2 lead, with Rudy Gobert dominating Warriors Center Damian Jones. Steve Kerr called a timeout, and the Splash Brothers would catch fire, eventually leading by as much as 9 in the second quarter. Down 44-39, Gobert and four reserves went on an 11-0 run that would give Portland the lead, one they ultimately wouldn't relinquish.

Harry Giles took over in the second half. A force on both ends of the floor, he disrupted the Warriors' offense, and was unstoppable in the paint. The pick and roll with Giles and Damian Lillard was extremely effective, while Steph Curry couldn't hit a three to save his life. Klay Thompson did what he could to keep the Warriors in it, but they found themselves down a dozen going into the fourth.

Knowing they had Curry and Thompson on their team, the Warriors never gave up on this game. However, the Blazers always had an answer for their big plays, and despite a combined 66 points from the splash brothers, ultimately lost 111-98. Giles and Gobert led the way for Portland, while Lillard quietly had a solid outing with 24 points on 10-18 shooting to go with 7 assists.

The Warriors were undone by their weak supporting cast and subpar defense. They will surely make major adjustments for game 2, but will it be enough?

When the Golden State Warriors signed Kevin Durant following their 73 win regular season, it looked as if they would have an unstoppable run of championships. However, the greedy act of adding a fourth all-star to their roster did not go as planned. Durant would injure himself in the conference finals and watch from the sideline as his team was dismantled in the finals by the Cavaliers. He, along with Andre Iguodala and several other rotation players would leave in the off-season, leaving the Warriors with three good players.

Down two games to none against the Trail Blazers, Golden State's season is still far from over. They've yet to have a good long range shooting performance from Curry and Thompson (a combined 5-23 from beyond the arc tonight), and the next two games are at the Oracle. And yet with the way the Blazers have thoroughly outplayed them in every aspect in this series, it's hard not to think ahead to the off-season if you're a Warriors fan.

Damian Lillard dished out 8 of his 12 assists in the first quarter as the Blazers jumped out to a modest early lead. The Warriors were unable to capitalize on a long Blazer scoring drought to start the second quarter, and a late run sparked by Lillard and Aminu gave Portland a double digit lead heading into the half. Harry Giles, who had been quiet in the first half following his break out game 1 performance, got it going in the third, helping the Blazers extend their lead. Damian Lillard would catch fire in the fourth, helping his team extend the lead to 29 points, putting the game out of reach.

This was perhaps Lillard's best game of the playoffs so far, taking some heat in the media for slightly down numbers in the post-season despite having only played a few games (winning all of them). Steph and Klay filled up the stat sheet as usual, but they were the only Warriors to score in double digits, as Draymond has been outplayed by Giles so far in this series.

Portland takes a 2-0 lead into game 3 in Oakland. Terry Stotts stressed in the post-game press conference that his team needs to keep its foot on the pedal, as the Warriors are a great team.

For Golden State to win game 3, they needed to do three things: crash the boards, contain Harry Giles and hit some threes. They were able to do all that, and despite Damian Lillard thoroughly outplaying Steph Curry, Golden State was able to get back in this series.

It looked like Portland might just go up 3-0. Lillard started the game on fire by making a pair of three pointers. With Curry struggling mightily, the Blazers would lead by as many as 11 points in the second quarter. However, the Warriors were able to stay in the game by forcing Lillard into some bad shots, as well as a career night for second year Center Damian Jones.

Portland led 57-50 at the half, but a run sparked by Klay Thompson (not a weed reference I promise) helped give the Warriors their first lead of the game. The Blazers could not get their offense on track not stop Thompson as Golden State opened up a double digit lead. Lillard played hero ball in the fourth to keep his team in it. It resulted in a career high 44 points, but his efforts would ultimately fall short as the Warriors take game #3.

Thompson led the way with 36 for the Warriors, while Doug McDermott chipped in 18. Curry didn't score until late in the second quarter, but finished with a respectable line of 16 points and 13 rebounds, while Damian Jones recorded his first career double-double. Lillard, McCollum and Gobert had big games for the Blazers, but got little help from their bench, or rookie Harry Giles who had just 4 points.

"We went away from what worked for us in the first two games. We settled for jump shots and didn't hustle. We're lucky we didn't lose by more", commented Terry Stotts after the game. This marks Portland's first loss of the post-season. They will hope to bounce back in game 4, with an opportunity to take a 3-1 (heh) lead.

Blazers Hold Off Warriors To Take Game 4Portland 119, Golden State 111

In game 3, the Blazers controlled the first half and got a huge game from their superstar point guard, but lost. In game 4, the Warriors controlled the first half and got a huge game from their superstar point guard. And, you guessed it. They lost. Steph Curry was a forced to be reckoned with, but despite his 39 points, as well as solid games from Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Doug McDermott, the Warriors find themselves in a 3-1 hole.

It looked like the Warriors would tie the series in the early going. Harry Giles had a pair (!) of dunks blocked, Damian Lillard wasn't hitting his shots, and Golden State was scoring at will in transition. They quickly opened up a 33-19 lead, and had the Roaracle buzzing like it was 2016. However, Portland got its act together with Curry resting on the bench, as they were able to put together a run to close the gap. The Blazer bench is one of their biggest advantages, and they played well in the second quarter. However, the Warriors still led 57-52 at the break.

Portland started the third quarter on fire. C.J. McCollum, who has been quiet this post-season, went off, while Lillard had some success being more aggressive on both ends. By forcing several turnovers and getting the ball inside, the Blazers stole the momentum and the lead. Draymond Green, who had been having a strong game, picked up several fouls in quick succession and was forced to the bench. A phantom foul in the final seconds of the period sent Lillard to the line to give his team a 90-79 lead going into the fourth.

Down, but not out, Steph Curry tried to put his team on his back. A 14-4 run saw the Blazers' double digit lead evaporate. Lillard's attempts to sink the Warriors with daggers clanked off the rim, but Turner and Giles were on their games tonight. Terry Stotts cycled through several lineups, as his team tried to hold off the Warriors. Neither team could pull away until a sequence late in the fourth.

Down 1 with a chance to take their first lead in since early in the third, Klay Thompson's three point attempt was blocked by Lillard, who hit a wide open McCollum for a transition three. Swish. Al-Farouq Aminu then intercepted a pass from Draymond and kicked it to Lillard, who missed a layup but stole the offensive board and kicked it to Turner for a mid-range shot to put his team up 6. That shot would prove to be the dagger, as they went on to win, 119-111.

Lillard filled up the scoreboard with 25 points and 15 assists, but was inefficient from the field. Fortunately for him, everybody else seemed to have it going as Portland shot 56% for the game. Golden State played well, but their lack of depth and interior defense was exposed in this game. While they should know better than anyone that a 3-1 lead isn't insurmountable, these glaring weaknesses in their team must be addressed this off-season.

Portland will have an opportunity to punch their Western Conference finals ticket for the second straight season at home in game 5. Draymond Green guaranteed that his Warriors would force a game 6, "even if I have to break out my martial arts moves again".

Say what you want about the Golden State Warriors, but they do not back down. Though they were ultimately ousted in five games by the Portland Trail Blazers, they showed tremendous heart, fighting until the bitter end.

Where to begin? Both teams were in fire in the first half. It was just one of those nights for Steph Curry, who had 26 of his 45 points by intermission. This game was played at a frantic pace, with both teams letting it fly from deep and getting off to the races whenever possible. The lead changed hands multiple times, but the Warriors found themselves up 6 at the half.

The Blazers were able to retake the lead in the third, thanks to some surprisingly effective zone defense. Perhaps the Warriors were shocked at just how open they were, as Curry and Klay Thompson missed some wide open treys that should have been automatic. On the other end, Damian Lillard began to take over, bouncing back from his shooting woes in game 4. A smart timeout got the Warriors back on track, and the two teams found themselves tied going into the fourth.

Portland dominated a tired Warriors team on the glass in the fourth. Golden State was hot, but the Blazers feasted on second and third chance points. Draymond Green fouled out once again, as did Damian Jones. The Warriors hung in there, but a McCollum three to put the Blazers up 7 with a minute to go appeared to be the dagger. Curry made a quick layup, then Portland's "play not to lose" offensive set killed time, but netted no points. Thompson hit a three because of course, and another empty possession gave the Warriors the ball with 15 seconds to go. With the perimeter well guarded, Cristiano Felicio was wide open under the basket for the game-tying dunk. Lillard missed a contested mid-range jumper and it was on to OT.

After that miraculous comeback, the Warriors really deserved to win this game. Sadly for them, their lack of depth once again came back to bite them. Harry Giles was making Ryan Hollins's life a living hell, while Curry and Thompson were clearly exhausted. And for Portland… it was Lillard time. The MVP owned the OT period, helping his team take the lead and not look back.

After losing in five games to the Warriors the past two seasons, the Blazers return the favor, while securing a few days of rest before the conference finals. Golden State sees their season come to an end. Steph Curry had his best season yet, but his individual brilliance could not overcome their disastrous offseason.

The league's two best teams meet in the conference finals. Portland had one of the best regular seasons in NBA history, and haven't disappointed in the post-season, going 8-1 thus far. The Clippers haven't had it so easy, taking 7 and 6 games to beat the Clippers and Rockets, respectively. But many are picking the Clippers for one reason: the big four. With Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan all on the team and healthy, they aren't a bad bet. '

However, the Blazers have the MVP in Damian Lillard, as well as borderline all-stars in McCollum and Gobert as well as a deep bench. Portland also swept the season series, but as we all know, the playoffs are a different beast. Perhaps the draft day trade of Meyers Leonard for Harry Giles will make the difference... This should be good.

The Cavaliers have blown a 3-1 series lead! Indeed, after being incorrectly given the #4 seed and suffering a 45 point game 4 loss, the Raptors have pulled a Big Sean and bounced back to make the conference finals. For the first time in eight seasons, the East will not be represented in the Finals by a LeBron James team. The Bulls, led by Jimmy Butler, Dwyane Wade and Nerlens Noel, have gone under the radar up to this point, but are close to making their first finals appearance in twenty years. Toronto hopes that years of continuity pay off with their franchise's first playoff berth. The Bulls are a strong defensive team, while the Raptors have a good offense, but whoever comes out of this series will be major underdogs in the finals.

Chris Paul made it to the conference finals for the first time in his 13 year career, and was only able to enjoy it for a quarter-and-a-half, as he suffered a severe sprained ankle and will miss the rest of the series.

But how about the Clippers? Kevin Durant had 37, Marcus Thornton 20 and 10 assists, and most surprisingly of all: Austin Rivers with the game-winner at the buzzer. The shock and devastating that many Clippers fans undoubtedly felt was passed on to the Blazers, as they drop game 1 in the most heartbreaking of ways.

The Clippers got off to a strong start. The Blazers could not contain Blake Griffin and the Clipper offense, falling behind early. Portland stayed in the game with some hot shooting and dominance on the boards, and then it happened: CP3 went down. There was a look of frustration and resignation as his teammates helped him off the court. A shell-shocked Clippers team found themselves down 6 at the half.

Damian Lillard got into foul trouble after a pair of very dubious charging calls, and McCollum ran the show for a bit. The Blazers had a tough time holding on to the ball, and Durant was heating up. However, Evan Turner was the man in the third quarter, helping his Blazers maintain a small lead. Portland would maintain that small lead into the fourth, with Lillard and McCollum trying to match the production of Durant and Marcus Thornton.

The Blazers found themselves down 1 in the waning moments of the game, as the Clippers' defense picked off Portland's indecisive offense. A McCollum three gave them back the lead, but a frustrating sequence led to Thornton splitting a pair of free throws on a third chance effort. With 30 seconds to go, the Blazer offense predictably stalled out, with Lillard inexplicably missing open guys and forcing McCollum to take a long two. Durant dribbled down the court, kicked it to Rivers, who was met by Lillard. Rivers missed a short jumper, but it bounced his way and he was able to tip it in for the win…

The Rose Garden was silent, as the Blazers lost their first home game of the playoffs, and just their second overall. They shot far better than the Clippers, and outrebounded them too, but committed 21 turnovers to their 6. "Our offense was terrible. 21 turnovers is inacceptable in the preseason. But in the playoffs?!?! We rooked ourselves," lamented Terry Stotts after the game.

Now down 1-0, the Blazers are still favored to win the series, thanks to the Paul injury. However, teams that win game 1 usually win the series.

Chris Paul was out, and Kevin Durant struggled with his shot, but it took a monster game from Damian Lillard to tie up the series.

Prior to game 2, Blake Griffin called Lillard and C.J. McCollum the "bargain bin splash brothers". They seemed to take exception to that, as they went off for 68 points on 25-42 shooting in a big win.

After being stunned at the buzzer in game 1, the Blazers wanted to make a statement early, and came out on fire from beyond the arc. I guess you always want to shoot well, unless you're tanking, but bottom line is they played well. That hot shooting, combined with Al-Farouq Aminu's stifling defense on Durant, gave them an early lead. The Clippers stayed in it though - Marcus Thornton is good now I guess, and Austin Rivers did things, and so Portland was only up 5 at the half.

The Clippers were able to briefly take the lead in the third, before the Blazers went on a 12-0 run spearheaded by the bargain bin splash brothers. However, the Clippers' much maligned bench unit, including Blazers castoffs Jake Layman and Meyers Leonard, more than held their own, as Portland was up just two points going into the fourth.

Even though it always felt like they would win this one, Portland somehow fell behind early in the fourth. After a pair of bad turnovers by Lillard, Terry Stotts called timeout and briefly put Shabazz Napier back into the game. This got Portland back on track, and they tied the game, but coach checked his watch and gasped. He thanked Shabazz for his solid play, but it was time to make way… for Lillard time.

Lillard scored 7 straight points to give the Blazers a small buffer, and they didn't look back. Kevin Durant kept trying to put the team on his back, but the shots just weren't falling. Blake Griffin had an awesome first half, but they stopped passing it to him. Try as they might, the Clippers couldn't execute down the stretch and find themselves in a knotted series..

After the first two games were fast-paced shootouts, game 3 of the conference finals was an ugly, "grind-it-out" affair. In a match that came down to the wire, the Blazers were able to hold the Clippers to just 39% shooting to pick up a critical win.

The first quarter was ugly. Both teams got in the penalty early, and the refs set the tone by calling it tight. Neither team got much of an edge in the first quarter, but some sloppy turnovers by Lillard gave the Clippers a small lead. C.J. McCollum, who has been inconsistent this post-season, was given the reins of the offense, and he did well with it to bring the Blazers within 1 at the half.

Portland took control in the third period. Kevin Durant was forced into another bad shooting night, as Al-Farouq Aminu and Evan Turner continued their excellent work on him, while Lillard started to heat up from behind the arc, and DeAndre Jordan was forced into foul trouble. (what a run-on sentence!) Austin Rivers' gutsy play, combined with Luc Mbah a Moute suddenly learning how to shoot kept the Clippers it, but Portland still led by 7 heading into the fourth.

The final period was intense. Blazer fans likely had déjà vu seeing their team cling to a miniscule fourth quarter lead in game 1, and this no exception. Portland continued to play excellent defense, particularly the excellent rookie Harry Giles, but turnovers and some missed open shots kept the game close. Blake Griffin hit a jumper to bring the score within 1 with 1:30 left when Stotts called a timeout.

To jumpstart his offense, Stotts stretched the floor with Aminu at power forward. This provided immediate dividends, with Aminu dunking in KD's face. Portland got the stop on the other end, and Lillard kicked it out to McCollum, who missed an open shot that would have been a dagger three. The Blazers double teamed Durant, who kicked it to Brice Johnson, resulting in a split at the free throw line. Giles was subbed back in, and he iced the game with a smooth mid-range jumper. After what felt like an hour of free throws, the Blazers were home free with a 105-97 win.

One could point to Durant's shooting woes, DeAndre's no-show and Griffin's lack of involvement as reasons why the Clippers lost, but perhaps the most glaring in such a close game is free throw shooting, which was a dismal 15-29. Portland once again struggled to take care of the ball, and allowed Rivers to go off, but their defense, as well as the scoring prowess of the bargain bin splash brothers got them through.

The Clippers now trail 2-1, making game 4 at Staples essentially a must-win. For that to happen, they're going to need for Kevin Durant to snap of his "Mr. Unreliable" form, and for the team to hit some damn free throws!

Blazers Rout Clippers, Now A Game Away From FinalsPortland 115, LA Clippers 90

Many believe that the Clippers lost this series the moment Chris Paul went down with a sprained ankle. That may very well be true. But others believe it happened several months ago, on draft night, when the desperate Clippers traded the 15th pick in the draft for overpaid stiff Meyers Leonard. That #15 pick was used on Harry Giles, who had 23 points and 12 rebounds. Meyers Leonard had 0 points and 0 rebounds (but was a +4!).

Yeah, the Clippers got wrecked. It was kind of close in the first quarter, but the Blazers' defense put on the clamps in the second, and they opened up a double digit lead. With Blake and DeAndre continuing to be useless, Austin Rivers and Marcus Thornton were once again called upon as Durant's main support on offense, and came crashing back to Earth, shooting a combined 10-for-30. A late run to end the half have the Clippers some life, with Portland falling into their bad habits of turning the ball over, and they led by just 6 at the half.

The Clippers imploded in the third. Kevin Durant was Mr. Unreliable once again, as he bricked three after three before being replaced by Wesley Johnson. Harry Giles, Evan Turner and Rudy Gobert were instrumental in a huge run that extended the lead to 18. Shabazz Napier opening the fourth quarter by hitting a pull-up three was the last straw as the crowd began to boo. Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum had solid games, but didn't see any action in the fourth quarter as their services weren't needed. Portland cruised to a 115-90 win, with the likes of Pat Connaughton and Grayson Allen receiving minutes.

It's difficult to see the Clippers bouncing back from this game 4 nightmare. The disgusted look on Chris Paul's face was worth a thousand words. Portland will have a chance to put the final nail in the coffin at home in game 5.

The shorthanded Clippers gave Portland a tough fight, but could not stop Damian Lillard and Harry Giles as the Blazers win their first conference championship since 1992.

In front of an electric crowd, the desperate Clippers made their last stand. Starting former NBA champion Justin Holiday in place of Marcus Thornton was the most noticeable adjustment for LA in the early going, as he made a couple threes and drew a couple early fouls on C.J. McCollum. The first quarter was neck-and-neck with Harry Giles scoring at will in the paint, and the Clippers showing some hustle on the boards.

Los Angeles opened up the second quarter on a 10-0 run, prompting Stotts to put his starting lineup in, which worked wonders as Lillard began to heat up. Despite Durant continuing to struggle with his shot, the Clippers held a three point lead at the half, thanks to the contributions of key role players like Holiday, Ersan Ilyasova and Austin Rivers.

Despite KD being Mr. Unreliable (8-24 from the field), DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin being invisible on offense (scoring a combined 12 points), and Giles and Lillard combining for 63 points, this game was close to the very end. Whenever it looked like Portland would pull away, they'd make an ill-timed turnover or brick an open three; whenever it looked like the Clippers would pull away, Durant would miss like four shots in a row. After a back-and-forth second half, the two teams found themselves in a similar scenario: tied with two minutes to go.

An Al-Farouq Aminu steal gave Portland the ball, and were bailed out from their poor offensive possession by a Gobert rebound. Terry Stotts called timeout, and C.J. McCollum was able to find an inexplicably wide-open Lillard for what was arguably the second biggest three of his career. Griffin responded with an emphatic dunk on the other end, but Giles responded with one of his own. The Clippers called time, and drew up a three for Durant, which was blocked by Aminu. Giles was fouled on the fastbreak, and the rookie sank two free throws to put the game away and cap off an incredible series for him.

Some have made the argument that Portland's championship should get an asterisk if they win the finals. Chris Paul's injury indeed spoiled what may have been an epic series. But does that absolve Durant shooting 36% from the field, or the lack of production from their heralded frontcourt? Do the 2015 Warriors get an asterisk too? Credit must be given to Giles, who has had the best rookie post-season performance in years, Aminu for his incredible defense on Durant, and the "bargain bin splash brothers", who kept that Blazer offense humming.

After an incredibly dominant regular season and conference playoff run, the Portland Trail Blazers are just four wins away from winning their second ever NBA title. Either the Chicago Bulls or Toronto Raptors will stand in their way.

Jimmy Butler was an assist shy of a triple double as the Bulls eked out a 96-95 overtime win over the Toronto Raptors, to advance to their first NBA Finals in 20 years.

After Michael Jordan and the Bulls were on top of the world in the 90's, winning six titles in eight years, it's been a rocky couple decades for the team. Bulls fans suffered through years at the bottom (the prequel to the process), years of mediocrity, and then an ACL tear destroying a potential championship team. After being upset in the first round last year by a #7 seed, the Bulls have embarked on an under-the-radar journey to the finals.

The Bulls, led by underrated superstar Jimmy Butler, old man Dwyane Wade and shot-blocking savant Nerlens Noel finished the season an underwhelming 48-34, but went on a dominant 12-4 run through the East. Butler credits the leadership of Wade, a three-time NBA champion, as a big component of their success. Wade responded, "Well, you know, that's means a lot, but you know coach Hoiberg, he um.. Uh… yeah."

The Portland Trail Blazers, a team that won seventy regular season games, has the league MVP in Damian Lillard, and steamrolled their way through their side of the bracket is their opponent. Indeed, Portland is the overwhelming favorite in this series, but Chicago point guard Brandon Jennings believe in his team.

"Bulls in six."

Bulls win series 4-1.

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2018 NBA FINALS: Portland Trail Blazers vs. Chicago Bulls

In a rematch of the 1992 Finals (won by Michael Jordan and the Bulls in 6 games), the Blazers and Bulls face off once again for the NBA title. Portland has been the biggest story of the season, following up their solid 2016-17 campaign with an incredible 70-win season in which Damian Lillard won the MVP award. Chicago didn't receive a ton of attention this season, putting together a decent, but unspectacular 48 win season, before dominating the Bucks, Knicks and Raptors in the playoffs.

Most expect the Blazers to win this series - Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum might be the league's best backcourt. Rudy Gobert is the league's most imposing rim protector, rookie Harry Giles has stepped up his game immensely in the post-season and Al-Farouq Aminu is a good 3-and-D guy. Their bench is excellent as well. Chicago is led by Jimmy Butler, who has had another excellent season, along with old man Wade, Nerlens Noel and… Brandon Jennings?

The Bulls will need to be on top of their games to have a chance in this series, but as Kevin Garnett once said, "ANYTHING… IS… POSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"There's no way I was going to let my team lose", Damian Lillard told Doris Burke following his first ever NBA Finals game. His story checks out - Lillard scored 35 points on 13-21 shooting, dished 11 assists and notched 3 steals as his Trail Blazers overcame a 12 point fourth quarter deficit to draw first blood against the Bulls.

Indeed, the Chicago Bulls led for most of this game, and have to be discouraged after letting this one slip away. By dominating the offensive glass (+14) and committing 6 less turnovers, the less talented Bulls outworked the Blazers for the first 42 minutes of this game. While Damian Lillard was on top of his game, the Blazer bench was absolutely putrid. After a myriad of lead changes in the first half, the Bulls led 51-48 at intermission despite Lillard's 20. Too much Hoiball, apparently.

The third quarter began promisingly for the Blazers with a pair of three pointers, but once Zach Randolph and Jonathan Simmons checked in, it was all downhill. Portland kept it close with their defense, but the Bulls were in control. While they held to just a three point lead going into the fourth, some sloppy possessions by the Blazers and big shots by Wade pushed the lead to 12 when Stotts called a timeout.

The Blazer starters played the final nine minutes of game one, and it paid off immediately with a 19-7 run. The end of the game was a tug-of-war, with the Blazers running the Lillard/Giles pick-and-roll that obliterated the Warriors and Clippers, and the Bulls running their offense through… Nerlens Noel? With a minute to go, the Blazers down by two, Lillard found Al-Farouq Aminu under the basket for a dunk. Timeout Bulls.

Butler passed on an open three to hit Noel under the basket, who was fouled hard by Rudy Gobert. The Blazer faithful breathed a sigh of relief as he missed the first free throw. Then he missed the second one, as Aminu grabbed the rebound and pushed it down the floor. Stotts opted not to call timeout, and it paid off as they spread the ball around before finding C.J. McCollum for an open three. Swish. Down three with 40 seconds to go, the Bulls try to run an isolation play for Butler, but turn it over. The Blazers get the clock down to six seconds, but can't put the game out of reach. With one last shot to tie it up, the Bulls call timeout but whatever play they attempted to run fell apart as it resulted in a contested three by Wade, which he of course bricked.

Jimmy Butler had a quiet game with 16 points, while Wade scored a team-high 21, and Noel had a tremendous performance on both ends, missed free throws aside. However, Lillard was in MVP form, and all it took was one good quarter to spoil a terrific effort by the Bulls. When asked if it was demoralizing to lose this game after doing so many things well and leading most of the way, Hoiberg responded, "what's demoralizing is missing nine free throws, Jimmy being passive and us not defending the three point line".

Portland escapes to take a 1-0 lead, but will need to do much better on the glass and get more from their reserves, or else this series will not be the cakewalk many expected it to be.

"If you want a vision of the future, imagine a Harry Giles dunking on a Chicago Bull's face - forever" -George Orwell

This was an odd one. The first quarter saw Portland get off to a strong start, but the Rose Garden fans weren't happy, as both teams found themselves in the penalty early. The first quarter went on for what felt like an hour, before Chicago imploded in the second. Jimmy Butler was stepping up after a timid performance in game 1, but the Bulls, perhaps drained from the first game, were not active on the defensive end.

Lillard and McCollum were on fire from outside, while Harry Giles punished the hapless Bulls inside. The Blazers found themselves up by 21 points at the half. After a sloppy game one, they were back to their 70 win form. That lead swelled to as many as 25 points, before Stotts put in human victory cigar Noah Vonleh. Having the nerve to put him in not even halfway through the third quarter backfired, as the Bulls went on a 16-0 (!) run thanks to some lax interior defense and some pathetic offensive sets.

Lillard came in to save the day, and he did get that lead back up to 15 before ever Blazer fan's worth nightmare happened… he went down with an ankle injury. With the MVP out, it was up to C.J. McCollum to run the show and secure this win. Jimmy Butler refused to give up, ultimately finishing with 35 points, but the Bulls could not stop Giles. The rookie scored 29 points on 9-11 from the field, and yes, it was an inside job, with all of his points coming inside the paint, or from the free throw line (where he was a perfect 11-11!)

Portland held on to win by 9, in a game far more lopsided than the score suggests. More importantly, Damian Lillard was diagnosed with just a minor ankle sprain, and is expected to start game 3, perhaps to the chagrin of salty Clippers fans.

The Trail Blazers are just two games away from their first championship in 41 years. The odds are certainly in their favor, but teams up 2-0 in the finals with a hobbled MVP point guard do not have a 100% success rate…

What an ugly game… Terry Stotts' face was fifty different shades of red as Portland committed 20 turnovers, were manhandled on the boards, and saw Lillard foul out in just 19 minutes of play. Truly a bizarre night as the Bulls took care of business in a wire-to-wire victory.

A hobbled Damian Lillard was questionable to play with a mild ankle sprain, but he did start for the Blazers. However, the Blazer offense was out of sync from the start, turning the ball over on the first three possessions. The Bulls would open the game on a 13-2 run, and continue to dominate as Portland could not buy a stop, giving up 39 first quarter points. Lillard and Gobert were somewhat effective on the offensive end, but another Bulls run to start the second quarter saw them take a 25 point lead.

Damian Lillard committed his third and fourth fouls in the second quarter before getting the cane from Stotts. Those fouls were probably worth it, as they seemed to get the Blazer defense going somewhat. A couple made three pointers saw the deficit shrink to 13 at halftime.

Lillard committed his fifth foul early in the third and Napier was back in the game. Stotts tried all sorts of different lineups to give his team the edge, but McCollum kept turning the ball over, and Nerlens Noel was a menace on the boards. Lillard came back in briefly, but picked up his sixth foul in a scrum with Brandon Jennings. "The team doctors suggested we put Lillard on a minutes restriction, and so when he got in early foul trouble, I thought I'd see how it played out", Stotts said when asked about his decision to keep him in.

Chicago was not having much success from beyond the arc, and their suddenly stagnant offense gave Portland a way back into the game. However, 9 points was as close as they would get. Numerous times the Bulls would be up 9, and then Portland would commit a bizarre turnover, or allow the Bulls a fourth chance point… Terry Stotts threw everything and the kitchen sink at pulling off the improbable comeback, but when secret weapon Pat Connaughton wasn't hitting his open threes, it was time to throw in the towel.

The Bulls are back in the series, with game 4 in Chicago sure to be a pivotal one. Lillard's ankle, as well as the Blazers' overall level of focus will be deciding factors. Regardless of who wins, all basketball fans will be hoping for a game less ugly than this one.

After the ugly loss suffered in game 3, Portland was determined to clean up its act in game 4. They did just that. The Bulls played a fantastic game, but Damian Lillard and the Blazers were just better.

The Blazers got off to a strong start in this game, avoiding the poor start that doomed them in the previous match. Portland got off to a 14-7 lead, before Dwyane Wade was subbed in. The veteran Wade was excellent in this game, and made some big shots to keep the game close. In the second quarter, Lillard got sloppy with the ball, and the Bulls took the lead. However, a run led by Harry Giles and Zach Randolph helped the Blazers take a five point lead at the break.

Despite another quiet game from Jimmy Butler, and ice cold shooting from beyond the arc, the Bulls kept the game close with their work on the glass. Nerlens Noel has continued to be their best player in this series, and was an absolute menace, extending several Chicago plays. Having Brandon Jennings as their point guard was the Bulls undoing in this game. The oft-criticized point guard has been solid this season, but put the Bulls in a hole chucking up shot after shot. Halfway through the fourth, the Blazers led by 10.

As close as this game was, and indeed, the outcome was in question until the very end, it was not exciting to watch. The fourth quarter was a free throw parade. Rudy Gobert fouled out, while Jennings and Noel came close. Both teams got to the charity stripe on nearly every possession. Unfortunately for the Bulls, Portland is an excellent free throw shooting team. Jennings redeemed himself somewhat with a three point make to close the gap to two points with twenty seconds left. However, Lillard made a pair of free throws, then stole the inbounds pass and that was that.

This series has been ugly - credit Fred Hoiberg… knowing that his team is outmatched, he turned this series into a slugfest, and put his Bulls in a position to win three of these four games. They are down 3-1, but it's clear that they will fight to the bitter end. If they want to have any chance at all, they will need Butler to step up. He had 11 points on 4-12 shooting, as Wade, Noel and Jennings did the heavy lifting. C'mon Jimmy. Get some buckets.

The Portland Trail Blazers Are World Champions!Portland 107, Chicago 91

41 years ago, Bill Walton, Maurice Lucas and the Portland Trail Blazers won their first ever NBA championship. Today, the Trail Blazers will put up their second banner, as they are the 2018 NBA champions!

Up three games to one, the Blazers looked as locked in as they have all series. Controlling the boards and limiting turnovers from the get-go, Portland was able to take a nine point lead in the first quarter. Damian Lillard scored 14 of his 32 in the first period, and McCollum ran the show in the second, shooting poorly but running the offense well. Jimmy Butler and Nerlens Noel prevented the Blazers from running away with it, but Noel's third foul proved costly, as Portland would lead 62-50 at the half.

Al-Farouq Aminu was a major factor in the third quarter. After a solid first half, Jimmy Butler was neutralized on offense, while Aminu made some key baskets, including making a poster of Mahinmi. (Air-Farouq Aminu???) With Noel picking up his fourth and fifth fouls and the Blazers continuing to play well on both ends, Portland's lead swelled to 20 points, as arena employees started to get the velvet rope ready.

The Bulls had one last stand. Jonathan Simmons, part of the tightened 8-man rotation despite a terrible post-season overall, botched a layup triggering a Bulls run to cut the deficit to 10. Stotts called timeout, and employing a small ball lineup with Aminu and Harry Giles at the 4 and the 5, got the offense back on track. Dwyane Wade made some big shots down the stretch, but Jennings was absolute garbage and Butler wasn't having much success. The Lillard/Giles pick-and-roll that has been so effective in this post-season helped the Blazers close out the Bulls, and secure the NBA championship.

After a 70-win regular season, and a 16-3 playoff run, this is arguably the best team in franchise history. Haters will say Chris Paul's injury lessens this accomplishment, but getting injured is just what Chris Paul was, and the Blazers would have probably won anyway.

Damian Lillard had 32 points and 11 assists in this deciding game, earning MVP chants when he went to the line, and ultimately, the Finals MVP trophy. Rookie sensation Harry Giles had 19 points and 15 boards, capping a playoff run in which he broke out as one of the league's bright young stars. Rudy Gobert fought through foul trouble, but managed a double-double nonetheless. His impact on the team was understated, but he was the key to their turnaround on the defensive end. No Gobert, no championship.

Shout out to the Bulls for getting this far. Nerlens Noel had a great series, but they need a much better point guard. Will Wade be back next year?

But tonight is all about the Portland Trail Blazers, your 2018 NBA champions.